Theological Works

Jesus warns His disciples to not be like the hypocritical Pharisees for in light of an eternal perspective “hypocrisy is ultimately futile, for the secret thoughts of men will one day be revealed” (Marshall 509).

"I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do” (Luke 12:7). Jesus is encouraging His disciples not to be bound or restrained by others' opinions as the Pharisees are by what people think of them. For the “disciples too may be tempted to conceal the real allegiance of their hearts before men, but they should not fear what men may do to them” (Marshall, 509). Christ points out that men can only impact this temporal existence on earth, while their silence regarding the gospel impacts peoples' eternal existence.

“But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!” (Luke 12:5-6a). Since men only have the ability to destroy things temporally, Christ points out that it is God whom they should fear since it is “God who has the ultimate power of life and death” (Marshal,l 509). Christ explains later that those who disown Christ before men are those whom don't truly believe and thus, God will disown them eternally.

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Luke 12:6b-7). With all this talk of fear, Jesus provides comfort in assuring that God is in control, even over the smallest details. Thus, even when believers acknowledge Christ before men and suffer for it“they can be sure that [God] will remember and care for them in the midst of persecution, just as he cares even for birds” (Marshall, 509). The resolution of the matter becomes not fearing men, but fearing God, but if one acknowledges Christ as their savior, then that “trust in God has the power to release one from the fear of man” (Howell, 228) and fear itself.